Finding My Place
by firefly2themoon
Summary: Luciana Porter has had a hard life, going from foster home to foster home. When Emily and Sam decide to give her a go, they get more than they bargained for. Can they help Luciana find what she is looking for or will this be just another failed family?
1. Chapter 1

_What did she do to her hair?_

_She looks like a boy!_

_When's her birthday? I'll get her something we will all appreciate: Non breakable, Untie-able rope. _

_look at her wrists! see all those scars? _

_what a freak!_

I listened to all the usual remarks, coming from all the usual people. Their words didnt hurt me like they used to, and I knew why. Because now i had a plan. To get away from all of them and start again.

Usually, I only stayed in one place long enough to get as much cash and clothes as i could before i would leave again. This time I had to stay longer because Susan, my social worker kept checking in on me. Soon though, the visits got longer apart when she started to think i was settling in better at this new place. Why anyone would think a girl like me, with my history, would thrive in the wealthiest part of California was beyond me. With all the cheerleader, volleyball playing barbies and their jock Ken clones, my entire being screamed outsider. Being thin, pale, with short red hair and bright green eyes, i didnt fit in with these people. I didnt really fit in anywhere to be honest.

At 12 I had moved from 15 different families across 12 different states. At 14 I had moved from 37 different families across 23 different states and 62 different schools. At 16 I had lost count. I usually spent about a week with a family, maybe two if i had been searched when i got caught, and then spent a few months on the street before i would get picked up again and moved on to a new family.

This time, I would not get caught.

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**A/N- This is a story I have wanted to write for a while, and im hoping it will be better than previous attempts.**

**Read and Review so i know if I should continue.**

Thanks. :)


	2. Chapter 2

**_Run._**

That was the only word that was pounding through my head at a hundred miles an hour.

Unfortunately, given the fact that I was in a car that was traveling at about the same speed, i couldn't exactly run away. Then there was also the fact that I was squished between two police officers watching my every move.

Officer Brianne Hunter and Officer Lucus Brennen. I was acutely aware of Officer Brennen's knee as it rested against my own, fighting the urge to kick his leg away and punch him in the face. I knew he wasnt doing it on purpose, Susan's car was tiny and he was pretty tall, but the instinct was hard to fight. He looked to be about 21, with curly brown hair and kind blue eyes that I still didnt trust. Officer Hunter looked older, around 35 or 40 and had a tough looking face with thick blond hair pulled into a tight bun at the nape of her neck.

"Well Luci, you sure did give us a scare. We weren't sure we were going to be able to get you down from that bridge.. I knew you wouldn't jump though, your a good girl. You were just making a point. That's all." I rolled my eyes and mouthed _whatever_ at the back of Susan's blond head.

If Mr Im-going-to-save-the-day Brennen hadnt grabbed my waist and hauled me down from the edge of the bridge, _Yeah_ i would have thrown myself into the crashing river a hundred feet below me. Any sane person would know that. But then, Susan wasnt exactly what I would call sane. She was an eternal optimist. Never had a bad thought about anyone.

Officer Brannon shifted uncomfortably, and I knew he was disagreeing with her statement, but he said nothing. No one ever spoke back to Susan once she made her decision, unless you didnt mind a two hour long lecture on not being a pessimist and looking on the bright side and finding good in those who you judge _blah blah blah blah... _I'd sat through one of those lectures enough times to know that I would never openly disagree with her again.

His leg brushed further along mine and my fists clenched as I scooted away. He looked down at me, noticing my movement and took in my stiff posture, keeping me from touching both him and his partner, and my glare at his leg. His face turned sad and he murmured a quiet "sorry" as he pulled his body as far away from mine as he could.

Obviously he had read my file then.

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**A/N- Again, Read and Review please, so I know whether or not to Continue.**


	3. Chapter 3

The trip was long, and by the time the two officers got out of the car, my back was tight and sore and my legs were numb from staying in the one position for so long.

The sky was Grey, with rain clouds threatening to spill and the ground was still wet from the last shower it had received, obviously not long before we arrived. The house was cute, I'll admit. A small cottage, with a white picket fence and a nice garden was what I had pictured when Susan had explained it to me on the trip down here.

I was pretty far off the mark. It was a decent size, not huge but not tiny, and the outside was made of a dusty colored wood that looked smooth and clean. It had a sort of wrap around veranda made of natural drift wood with three sandstone steps leading up to it. There was a garden in the front, but it seemed to be made of just wild flowers and native bushes and shrubs, cared for and neatened. The house led into the thick dark forest, with no gate or boundary fencing.

The door was a pale Grey with a mural on it. Three dark silhouettes caught my eye. The three human figures stood together, but their shadows stretched before them, long with four legs stretched outwards and the face of a wolf. It was as beautiful as it was frightening. Bordering the door were different sized and shaped paw prints, with elegantly calligraphy in black strokes painted underneath naming each print.

I read each label, fascinated and in awe of the beauty and the sense of family there must be between these people.

Emily's Sam, Paul, Maddie's Seth, Kim's Jared, Nessie's Jacob, Claire's Quil, Leah's Embry, Lilly's Brady, Taylan, Collin. And in the right hand corner at the bottom the words: Our Family, Our World.

Tears brimmed in my eyes at the love the was clearly felt in the house and i turned back to the car the collect my things.

I breathed out in relief and stretched out along the back seat of the car while Susan went in to meet the couple I was going to be living with.

"Luci" The male voice had my eyes snapping open, and the hand that was extended towards me had my body scrambling backwards and onto the ground on the other side of the car, small tremors making my teeth chatter as a hiss escaped my throat. Officer Brennen looked at the ground, shaking his head as he pulled back his hand and stepped further away from me.

"I'll take it from here Luke" Officer Hunter said softly. Lucus nodded and walked over to Susan, who was talking to two people, a woman and a man. The man was huge, towering over Susan and the woman who was obviously his partner, given that his arm was around her waist and her head rested against his side. The woman was short, meeting Susan's 5'2 height with dark brown of black hair. From a distance she looked slim, and had an air of beauty about her.

"Come on Luci, cant keep them waiting" Officer Hunter's voice broke into my thoughts and I looked up to see her frowning fown at me. I nodded and picked myself up off the ground, dusting off any leaves or anything I had picked up with me. I walked around to the back of the car, straining to hear any footsteps behind me, and grabbed my old Grey duffel that carried my few belongings.

"Welcome to La Push" A deep male voice spoke suddenly from behind me. I turned quickly, launching my duffel over the car and away from the giant now standing in front of me before lifting my fists in front of my face and rushing backwards as fast as i could. The world shimmered slightly, and the familiar sense of panic fluttered into my body as I struggled to get my breath.

My back hit a hard wall as I pushed myself away from the man who was now holding his hands up, in a peaceful gesture, and watching me with wide eyes.

Strong hands gripped my shoulders, steadying me as I began to topple over and as I ripped myself away I caught a glimpse of sad blue eyes. A scream forced its way out of my mouth as the hands came towards me again and the world tilted.

Before I slipped into unconsciousness I saw a pair of kind but troubled brown eyes watching me, and a beautiful face marred by three red scars, with a horrified expression.

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**A/N - Read and Review, as usual.**

**The house described (and the door) is actually my dream home, although I would have something that symbolized my family on the door, rather than the pack =)**


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